Frequently Asked Questions

Land trusts help landowners, including governments, meet their conservation goals.

Land trusts or land conservation societies are non-profit, charitable organizations dedicated to conserving land. They have expertise in legal conservation tools, land health assessment, and conservation and stewardship techniques.

The land trust is responsible for monitoring the land and making sure that the terms of the agreement with the landowners are being met. A land trust may also work with the landowner to improve the conservation value of the land.

All land trust projects are voluntary. They are usually initiated by owners looking for help to conserve some or all of their land. Occasionally land trusts will reach out to landowners but the landowners decide whether they want to work with the land trust.

Land trusts are registered charities. They are funded by grants from governments, foundations, or corporations, as well as donations from individuals.

Landowners who opt to place conservation easements on their land may also help with stewardship funds.

A conservation easement is a legal tool by which you voluntarily exchange some rights for other forms of compensation, such as a charitable tax receipt. You still retain title to the land and can sell or gift it.

In Alberta the province requires a conservation easement’s goals to include the conservation of the environment, agricultural land, scenic values and/or scientific and educational potential.

The terms of conservation easements vary, as each agreement is tailored to the specific landowner. However, they normally restrict subdivision and environmentally damaging forms of development from occurring. Conservation easements are typically granted in perpetuity and remain with the land regardless of ownership.

For more information see Conservation Easements for Landowners.

Conservation easements offer benefits to society in general by contributing immensely to the maintenance of biodiversity, open spaces and a healthy environment. They can safeguard watersheds and wildlife habitat, and preserve or maintain the natural landscapes which provide surrounding residents with clean air, clean water, agricultural products, and scenic beauty

Conservation easements also provide opportunities for landowners to meet their personal goals for environmental and agricultural stewardship, some financial benefits, and succession planning.

See Also:
Tax Benefits
Estate and Succession Planning Webinar Series

Partnering with private landowners we’ve conserved thousands of acres, from boreal forest and wetlands to native grasslands and working farms and ranches,

Conserving these lands contributes to a future of healthy ecosystems, clean air and water, land for growing food and a reminder of our collective history on the land.

View some of our completed projects here.

The cost of establishing a conservation easement varies, depending on the property. Costs include appraisal and legal fees, ecological studies, coordination by staff and stewardship funding. Check out our booklet, Conservation Easements for Landowners, for more details.

Run by Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Ecological Gifts Program (EGP) provides a way for Canadians who own ecologically sensitive land to protect nature and leave a legacy for future generations. Made possible by the provisions of the Income Tax Act of Canada, the program offers significant tax benefits to landowners who donate land, or an eligible interest or right in land, to a qualified recipient such as a land trust.

For donors to be eligible to claim ecological gift income tax benefits, the federal Minister of the Environment must first

    • certify the property as ecologically sensitive
    • confirm that the ecological gift is made to an eligible recipient (such as Legacy), and
    • certify the fair market value of the donated property.

The Canadian Ecological Gifts Program Handbook explains the program in detail.